Red Riding Hood
by Angelblood666
Summary: Birthday present to Lyco-Rogue. My interpretation of the classic Grimm fairy-tale, Hey Arnold style. Hinting of HelgaXBrainy


**So, this might seem a little random, especially since I'm way behind in my challenges. :l**

**But this story is dedicated to Lyco-Rogue because her birthday is today. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYCO! Hope you like this and that your birthday is awesome! :)**

**Red Riding Hood**

Helga was scared. Now, Helga G. Pataki wasn't easily scared, but this creepy forest was definitely doing a number on her nerves. Why Olga had chosen to live in the middle of the forest in the heart of Alaska was beyond her. It was black and dark, the trees making odd shapes with their enormous branches, twisting and intertwining across and above the dirt path she now walked. She pulled at her cloak, which oddly enough was red, closer as a southern wind blew. A wolf howled in the distance as the moonlight shone, guiding the girl along with its faint light along the path.

Helga pulled out her card from her basket and squinted to read the postcard again, hoping that she hadn't messed up or gotten lost.

"_Hi baby sister! I'm terribly sick, and I haven't seen you or Mummy and Daddy for so long. I miss you baby sister, would you please come to Alaska to see me? I will excuse you from school and pay for everything; I just need some company while I get better. If you decide to come, here are the instructions to my house. I hope to see you soon._

_Your sister, Olga XOXOXOX_

_P.S I love you Helga! XOXO"_

Underneath there were some weird street names that led to Olga's address outside town. Helga remembered the name of a street from earlier, and checked the postcard again. It was the next to last instruction Olga had given her, so she knew that she was indeed on the right path.

Now normally, NORMALLY, Helga would laugh and reject Olga in the worst way she could put it, but the pleading and general illness that was evident in Olga's writing pierced Helga's outer demeanor and touched her heart, especially when Olga had called her again and again to see that Helga was coming.

"Even though she's sick and I don't USUALLY care about her, I guess it couldn't hurt to visit. She's still my sister." reasoned Helga before she finally agreed with Olga to come visit her. Besides, who would pass up a FREE vacation from school, all expenses paid? No one, that's who, especially Helga G. Pataki, even if it meant spending time with _OLGA_. She put away the card and continued following the path, trying to be careful while stepping over roots and jumping every time she heard an owl hoot in the distance.

Her basket consisted of some stuff from Olga's favorite café in town; some muffins, cookies, soup, and coffee to help warm her up and give her some energy as she got better. Helga sighed, hoping that the house was just around the curve so she could feel safer. She wished she was back home, especially if it meant just seeing Arnold again. She smiled at the thought of her beloved, probably in the classroom, taking notes, only to not feel the usual spitballs from Helga. He would be concerned, she knew. She brought out her locket and kissed it, feeling strength surge through her with the reassurance of Arnold's presence, even if it was his picture.

She hid her locket and pulled out another treat, munching on it as she turned a bend to come to a stream. It was shallow, but the night made the water cold. She couldn't see it, since the light from the moon now was blocked from the overhead trees, but she heard the rushing water of a waterfall that must be slightly upstream. It raged and twisted the water before her, making it look alive; and dangerous.

Helga tightened her cloak, the silk brushing against her as the wind continued to blow, as she waded very slowly into the river. She couldn't believe that she had bought this thing. It was next to worthless against the biting wind and churning water, but she knew Olga would enjoy it. She would probably say Helga looked so cute in it. Helga scowled, and then helped herself to something from the basket, not really caring what.

She felt the water seep into her shoes and socks as she slowly waded into the stream, hoping she didn't trip on something in the water and fall. She heard something behind her, a twig breaking, and some shallow breathing. She turned her head in the direction of the breaths, only for them to stop. She searched the trees, but her eyes weren't completely adjusted to the absence of light, only allowing her to see the branches and a few of the trunks of some of the closer trees.

She twisted her head to either side, but didn't find anything. Hoping it wasn't a predator, she turned around again and crossed the remainder of the river, occasionally taking a glance behind her, hoping to catch whoever or whatever had been behind her.

She continued down the path, kicking up dirt as she resumed her thinking of her beloved. How she missed his golden hair, his emerald eyes, and his cornflower hat. As she stepped between the roots of 2 large trees in the dark, dark forest, she knew that he would give her the courage, the strength to continue on through the horrible woods. Faintly, she saw a light. As she neared the source, she became excited and raced toward it.

This light belonged to a small house that was 2 stories and had a chimney slightly smoking as if a fire was lit. The house consisted of a beautiful gate, iron and slightly rusty because of the age, a slightly slanted roof with a balcony hanging under, a few windows and a door which was slightly ajar, as if someone had come in or gone out. Light poured onto the driveway and onto the path from the open door.

Helga sighed with relief and began to head toward the house, when suddenly she stopped. She had heard it again. That breathing, the slight crunching that would sound whenever a foot stepped onto the dirt path. She turned and saw a faint figure. He/she/whoever they were, was standing against a tree, trying but failing to hide from Helga's sight. She turned around and ran, her wet shoes crunching into the dirt and rocks as she tried desperately to reach the house before whoever was following her caught up. Her basket rocked back and forth on her arm, her cloak flapped in the wind as she neared the house. She ran up the driveway and inside, slamming the door behind her and locking it.

She breathed for a moment, relishing the victory of escaping whatever it was that was following her. She pulled back the curtain that covered the window of the door and checked to see whether the thing had or hadn't followed her. She faintly saw it standing upright, looking at the house from the path. She watched as the figure pulled out something small, looked at it, and turned to go up the driveway toward the house.

Fear grabbed Helga as she gasped. She didn't know who that was or what they wanted, but it was pretty obvious they were probably after her. She turned around and looked for the best item she could use as a weapon. A few pictures of her and Olga hung on the walls; an umbrella stand was by the door, a small mahogany drawer under a mirror. To her left was the living room, a small glass table in the middle parallel to a green, blue, and white striped couch facing a fireplace. There was another desk by the window facing the front of the house, complete with a small lamp and some drawers. Oddly, the room was deserted and the fireplace was dying, allowing only a small amount of heat to be felt across the room.

Helga turned and walked into another room, noticing that it was the dining room. It was also pretty much useless to help Helga, as it only contained a table and 4 chairs, all currently empty and pushed under the edges. Seeing no help, Helga grabbed the umbrella from the stand and waited by the door, hardly daring to breath. She waited, umbrella in hand to swing if the person tried to enter, or even just knock on the door.

There was no sound. Helga silently leaned forward and pulled the curtain back, still holding the umbrella. She peeked out the window. There wasn't anyone by the door or the driveway, as far as she could see. The wind continued to blow as she stared, watching the tree limbs wave in the wind, the leaves blowing and dancing in the wind. She let go of the curtain and put her back to the door, letting the umbrella fall to the floor as she slid down the door onto the floor. Her cloak ruffled behind her as she exhaled, setting the basket on top of the table. She finally got up, still being silent in case that person was listening in.

She unraveled the cloak from around her and set it on the ground, revealing a pink and white shirt and jeans. She straightened her gray hat on top of her head, picked up the basket again, and cautiously went into the living room. She peeked up and down the room, checking to make sure it was indeed empty.

"Where are you, Olga?" wondered Helga as she crossed the living room to the kitchen. She turned on the light and whistled softly. A marble bar was rounding the countertop, 3 bar-stools were placed underneath the bar, with state-of-the-art equipment.

"Good to know Bob's money is being used well" thought Helga as she smirked. She took a good look around, knowing that Bob had given Olga a STACK of cash while in college, but Helga had never known or cared how big that stack must have been. She briefly felt sorry for herself that she would never receive such treatment from her parents, but her self-pity was interrupted by the sound of steps. She turned back into the living room to see Olga shuffling into the room.

Olga looked terrible. Her hair was ruffled and stuck out at odd angles from all of the bed rest Olga had been doing. She was in a long white robe that was covered in horrible stains, from what Helga never wanted to know. She looked pale and her eyes drooped as if from exhaustion. Olga saw Helga and gasped, her eyes widening and her mouth forming into a loving smile. Olga screamed her name. Helga was sure she was going to give a rib-breaking embrace that Helga knew too well, so Helga took a step back and put the basket in both hands in front of her, hoping to make some barrier to keep Olga's repulsive yet enthusiastic reach away.

"Criminy Olga" started Helga with a snarl, then she stopped and her expression softened. She realized that now might not the best time to be sarcastic and rude, not with how fragile Olga seemed to be. She cleared her throat and said, "Olga. Please keep away. I don't want to get sick."

Olga smiled, and she spoke with a raspy voice, "Alright Helga." Helga grimaced at her sister's voice, but didn't say anything. "Thank you baby sister for visiting me. I know once I'm better, we can go out and really bond together. There is so much fun to do around in Alaska." Olga tried to give Helga a hug, but then she stopped and realized what she had almost done. She looked apologetically to Helga.

Helga set down the basket onto the bar, "I brought you some food from the café in town you told me about. There was more in it but I got hungry on the way here." Helga began to pull out some of the contents, Olga's face beaming.

"Oh Helga, that was such a wonderful thing for you to do for me. I would hug you if I weren't so sick." Olga reached for a few of the pastries and chewed them while Helga pulled out the rest of the food. She pushed them toward Olga, and then sat down in a stool next to her as she looked around the kitchen.

"Nice place Olga."

Olga stopped eating and set down her food.

"Isn't it beautiful Helga? I'm sorry, where are my manners? Let me give you a tour baby sister." Olga got up and took Helga's hand, dragging Helga as she led the way around the house.

Helga slipped her hand out of her sister's, "Okay, okay Olga. Criminy, I can walk." A knock at the door was heard, causing Helga to jump. Helga went to the door, sliding the curtain back to peek at who it was.

She couldn't see the persons face, as it was covered in shadows from a hat and long coat. She grabbed the umbrella and stood back, raising it to chest height as Olga stepped forward.

"Helga, sweetie…" rasped Olga quietly, "what are you doing? Aren't you going to answer it?"

"Olga, on my way here I saw someone following me from town. This person is covering their face, so it could be the same guy. Don't answer the door."

Olga scoffed, although it sounded more like a cough. "Oh don't be such a silly goose. I'm sure it isn't someone who is following you." Olga stepped toward the door, but Helga blocked her as another knock was heard.

"No Olga. Please, listen to me."

"Now Helga…" began Olga, taking her sister by the shoulders, "I'm sure whoever it is might be a friend of mine to see how I'm feeling. Maybe the person following you might have been coming to my house anyways, and you're overreacting. You do have such a silly imagination sometimes." Olga stepped past Helga, taking the umbrella from her and setting it back into the stand.

Helga hid inside the living room; unsure of whom it was, but unwilling to give up. Whoever it was, they would face Ol' Betsy and the Five Avengers if they tried to, or thought they could, hurt Helga G. Pataki. She heard the door open.

Helga couldn't hear anything for a few seconds. Then she heard Olga gasp and squeal quietly. Then she heard her name.

"Helga, a friend from school is here to see you!" Helga stood uncertainly and walked to Olga, looking at the door to see the person. She gasped.

Then she frowned and narrowed her eyes. Helga stepped forward and punched Brainy in his face, breaking his glasses and knocking him to the ground. Olga gasped, her mouth covered by her hands at Helga's unexpected and surprising action.

"Now HELGA!" yelled Olga, or as close as she could with her current voice, "why did you do that?"

"Because," started Helga as she went back inside, "_Brainy_ has followed me around since we were kids, and I should've known he would pull this kind of stunt. He scared the crap out of me Olga." She raised her voice so her stalker would hear as well. "The geek is lucky I didn't keep hitting him until he was beaten to a PULP!" finished Helga as she sat down at the desk in the living room, crossing her arms and glaring at the entryway.

Olga slowly walked outside and helped Brainy up, allowing him to come inside. She closed the door and led him to her couch, allowing him to sit down. Brainy looked at Helga as he pulled out another pair of glasses from his coat.

"Uh… Hi." He smiled at her, though she continued to glare at him.

"Why did you follow me Brainy? Matter of fact, why are you even here and not at school?" demanded Helga at the top of her lungs. Brainy shrugged slightly, his face nonchalant and happy to just see Helga. Helga gritted her teeth and rose from her chair.

"Brainy, if you don't answer me, I'm going to hurt you. Now FESS UP!" shouted Helga as she shook her fist to emphasize her point. Brainy took out his inhaler and puffed once, and then he put it away and opened his mouth to speak.

"I just wanted to make sure you were safe." He smiled again. Helga's expression softened a little. She was still POed that he had scared her so badly earlier, but he had good intentions. Olga came in and sat down next to Brainy.

"I hope you're okay. Did Helga hurt you back there?"

"I'm used to it by now." Brainy smiled knowingly at Helga. Helga rolled her eyes and smiled slightly, temptation telling her to retort something about him deserving it because he stalked her.

Olga glanced between the two, and then she asked, "Would you like to stay for dinner…"

"Brainy" finished Brainy when he noticed her hesitation. "And I would like that, if it's okay with Helga, at least."

Helga sighed and then nodded consent to Olga.

**Well, finally done! Read and Review please. Hope you liked it, and...**

**Happy Birthday Lyco! :)**


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